


33. Seeing (Red) Green

by djchika



Category: Glee RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-27
Updated: 2013-04-27
Packaged: 2017-12-09 15:54:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/776010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/djchika/pseuds/djchika
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>SAG awards ficlet. Jealous Darren + PR shenanigans.</p>
            </blockquote>





	33. Seeing (Red) Green

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted January 28, 2013
> 
> Part of My Crisscolfer 100 Ficlet (Drabble) Challenge

Darren didn’t  see them at first. The red carpet was jam-packed with people and while he had always boasted that he had Chris Radar, in this one instance it was Joey who saw him first.

“Dude!“ Joey said, trying to be discreet but failing spectacularly. He might as well have been wearing a sign announcing his shock. He didn’t have the years of coaching that Darren had been given and the surprise and concern was evident in his face when he saw who Chris was with.

“Shut up, man,” Darren said through clenched teeth, smile firmly in place.

“You didn’t tell me he was going to be here.”

“It’s not a big deal.”

But it was, or at least it mattered enough that Darren wanted to rub his knuckles against his chest to ease the tightness there.

From the corner of his eye, Darren watched Chris weave through the red carpet, dutifully avoiding the press line. Behind him a young man in a suit tailored to match Chris’ followed, keeping far enough of a distance that he wasn’t in Chris’ immediate circle, but close enough for it to be obvious that he was with Chris.

Darren forced himself to look away and headed towards the theater with Joey, immediately ordering a scotch when they got to the table.

He worked to keep his face blank when Chris arrived with Will. He didn’t need to introduce Will to the rest of the cast since most of them had already met. Chris took the seat next to Darren, smiling over at him and Joey. Darren gave a tight smile in return which earned him a confused look.

Darren knew he was being an asshole. It wasn’t fair for him to be mad at Chris or his team for asking Chris to bring a date to SAG awards. Darren had been doing the same thing for so long. He had allowed the pretense because they had convinced him it was necessary and when they proposed the same thing for Chris, he had agreed without protest.

He didn’t expect that watching Chris with someone else would set him on edge. Joey was trying his best to distract him and Darren was a good enough actor to be able to mask his emotions for the cameras, but he could feel the rush of blood that pounded through his veins with every laugh and look that Chris directed at Will instead of him.

Keeping a tight grip on his glass, Darren sipped steadily from it as he watched them interact in his peripheral vision. Chris was warm and friendly, but not overly so. It was Will who always seemed to have his eye on Chris, always quick to lean in with a comment and try to make him laugh.

Will reaching over and stopping Chris’ arm from knocking over his glass was the last straw. The touch lingered too long and Darren felt like a weight was pressing on his chest. He quickly excused himself and stalked towards the bathroom, the scotch in his system already making him slightly less coordinated.

Darren was grateful to find the bathroom deserted. He gripped the edge of the sink to keep himself from running his fingers through his hair. Counting to ten, he fought the feeling that was tearing up his insides. He squeezed his eyes shut and let his head fall as he forced out an unsteady breath with each count.

When he looked up Chris was standing by the bathroom door, eyes on Darren’s reflection.

“I thought you were okay with this?” he asked, voice soft.          

Darren let out a bitter laugh. “So did I.”

“Darren-“

“I’m sorry,” Darren interrupted, taking a deep breath and turning to face Chris. “I’m fine. I’ll be fine.” He amended when Chris raised an eyebrow at him.

“I’ll tell them to call it off.”

“No. It’s me. We talked about this and we agreed it would be for the best.”                                 

In fact, Darren had been briefed about it weeks before the first photo came out. Hell, he had met the guy and had talked to him in other events. Tonight was different though. It was Chris and Will’s big coming out and while Darren knew before hand, he hadn’t expected that he would literally be forced to sit and do nothing while he watched his boyfriend go on a date with another guy.

“I’m sorry,” he repeated.

Chris sighed and walked towards Darren, circling his arms around his waist. Darren rested his forehead against Chris collarbone and allowed himself to be held.

"I'm a mess.”

“Yes, you are,” Chris agreed. “But you’re my mess and I’m yours.”

Darren chuckled, inserting his fingers through Chris’ belt loops and pulling him close. They stayed there, holding each other and swaying to the sound of the music seeping in from the theater.

He breathed in the smell of Chris cologne, feeling his chest expand and lighten with each breath. No matter how complicated their lives were, it was Chris who anchored him, reached through the fog of insecurity and doubt and planted Darren's feet safely on the ground.

“Take me home?” Chris whispered against Darren’s ear.

Darren raised his head and lost himself in the certainty in Chris’ eyes. For the first time that night he was finally able to take an easy breath.

“Yeah, let’s go home.”                                                                                                                                 


End file.
